Women’s soccer clinches home game
By: Alexander Hepp
Staff Writer
Hudson Valley’s Women’s Soccer team won 1-0 against Genesee Community College in their final regular game of the season on Sunday, Oct. 26.
Coming into the game, the Vikings were 10-3 and the Cougars 10-5: both teams went into the game knowing that the winner would host the first round of the Region 3 playoffs.
Vikings’ Team Captain and human services major, Brooke Clough, entered the game tied for a program record of 20 assists in a single season. Clough is tied with Stacy Call, who accomplished her 20-assist season in 1990.
Hudson Valley dominated the first half, keeping the Cougars’ defense on their toes, however, the Cougars’ goalie kept the Vikings scoreless throughout the half.
“We were intense,” Vikings Women’s Soccer Head Coach Jay Pokines said. “ Our team was not nervous, even with the pressure,” Pokines continued. “If we win, you play at home, if you lose, you’re going to play the same team on the road and a four hour ride.”
The Vikings were able to break through right out of the gate after half-time, with Clough breaking through just forty-five seconds into the second half with a crossing assist from liberal arts major, Morgan Catlin.
The Vikings’ defense and goalie, Bailey Dunn, physical education major, kept the Cougars scoreless throughout the game hanging on for a 1-0 victory, for the Vikings first victory over the Genesee Community College Cougars since September 2007.
Dunn finished with 11 saves for her 7th shut-out of the season and 14th of her career.
Coach Pokines said the defense kept the Cougars at bay with intentional tactics.
“They just started kicking the ball long and we were making sure our backs were far enough back,” he said. “We needed to make sure that they weren’t going to put the ball over the top of us– then towards the end, when it was 1-0 with five minutes remaining, it was going down to the corner and trying to waste some time down in the corner.”
“At the beginning of the game, our team had a lot of energy: more than usual [and] were excited to get out there and win,” Clough said. “The team played great today, we worked together [and] communicated a lot on the field.”
She continued, “We really just wanted it, so at every opportunity we were going as fast as we could, running to every ball [and] winning the ball first. I think we just played very well together today.”The Vikings hosted the Cougars in a rematch on Thursday, Oct. 31 as the No. 4 seed in the NJCAA Region 3 tournament, resulting in yet another victory for the Women’s Soccer Team.